In recent years, a smart card incorporating an IC chip is widely used. The smart card may be used also as an ID (Identification) card for personal identification. In this respect, there is a proposal to utilize the smart card to prevent unauthorized use of a personal computer.
Meanwhile, many personal computers have an expansion card slot into which a PCMCIA card or an EXPRESS card standardized by the PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) is to be inserted. In order to read the information in the smart card by using this expansion card slot, a card adapter complying with the PCMCIA card standard or the EXPRESS card standard may be required.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 03-27984